


inseparable

by Ally_Joanne



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Axel has made some mistakes, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Good writing? Who is she?, Not Beta Read, Other, Regret, Reunion, forgetting important things, friends?, like friendship and y'know, not exactly canon compliant, sea salt trio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 08:06:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19786735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ally_Joanne/pseuds/Ally_Joanne
Summary: Ever since he was young, Lea had always been afraid of being forgotten.Maybe it stemmed from his fear of death - of ceasing to exist forever. He figured that if enough people remembered him, in some way he’d exist through them. No one is no one if they have someone, y’know?Or the one character who is constantly telling people to get it memorized doesn't remember the important stuff.





	inseparable

**Author's Note:**

> Ally here!!! I wrote this a few days after finishing KH 3 (and by finishing I mean finishing watching the cutscenes on YouTube bc guess who doesn't have a PS4 or an Xbox?) I love the Sea Salt Trio and their reunion actually made me ugly cry. So here. Enjoy!
> 
> (Last note: I have this headcanon that Kingdom Hearts is also used as a sort of curse word similar to how we use God, so that shows up in this and will show up in any future KH fics I write)

Ever since he was young, Lea had always been afraid of being forgotten.

Maybe it stemmed from his fear of death - of ceasing to exist forever. He figured that if enough people remembered him, in some way he’d exist through them. No one is no one if they have someone, y’know?

He’d explained it to Isa and a new friend -a kid named Ven - once. Isa had just rolled his eyes and laughed, but Ven seemed comforted by his words, which in turn reassured Lea. And he made a secret promise to himself to never forget anyone he met either, to ensure that they too were able to live on through him. 

Lea never saw Ven again, and every now and then he’d wonder if Ven actually remembered him. He hoped so.

And then Lea - well Axel now - became a Nobody.

It was Isa’s - no Saïx’s - fault. They had met a girl in Ansem the Wise’s castle, but when she disappeared, Isa was intent on finding her. And so was Lea, but they searched everywhere - even became Ansem’s apprentices - and there was no sign. 

Lea and Isa had a falling out. Lea was tired and giving up hope. Isa was tired too, but he persisted. 

We can find her. And help her, Lea. We just need to try harder.

Something changed within Isa. He grew close to another apprentice - Xehanort - who was a bit sketchy in Lea’s opinion. Ok sketchy was being polite. Xehanort had crazy ideas, but Isa insisted that he knew about their friend. But one insane experiment later and they were heartless. Er, Nobodies. But they must’ve had heartlesses somewhere…? Nope. not gonna think about that.

But either way, their friendship had changed forever. Isa had always been a bit apathetic, but Saix was significantly more cold and distant. To be fair, so was Axel. He felt like he should be sad, angry, hurt, anything. But no. No matter how much he tried, there was only emptiness. He would be terrified, but apparently that counted as an emotion too. Whoopdeedoo. 

It wasn’t until he met a new recruit - a kid named Roxas, number XIII - that he realized how much he missed having friends. How much ice cream and dumb conversations and watching the sunset could make his day a million times better. The kid was clueless too, so it was fun being the one with the information for once. 

Yeah, Axel really hated being in the dark, both literally and figuratively. His little adventure at Castle Oblivion reminded him of that. 

He returned and went straight to Roxas, not wanting to bother with Saix. Roxas surprised him by saying he had made a new friend - the even newer recruit, Xion number XIV. He momentarily feigned hurt at how easily Roxas had replaced him, but it was clear that Roxas had missed him. And if Axel was being honest, he had too. But he dismissed it. Nobody’s didn’t, couldn’t, miss each other. It was impossible. He was just remembering the feeling. 

A few days later, he was formerly introduced to Xion. He and Roxas were sent on a mission to find her since she’d been missing for a while. The poor girl had lost her ability to wield a keyblade and she was so distraught that Axel offered a solution that actually sort of worked. 

He was still a bit hesitant to trust her, despite Roxas’s insistence that she was deserving of it. To be completely honest it felt all too familiar: he and his buddy befriend a quiet girl who was clearly being manipulated by the higher-ups (he didn’t know exactly how she joined the organization but he had his suspicions, especially after Oblivion). He didn’t want a repeat of what had gotten him into the whole Nobody mess in the first place. 

But as he spent more time with the two of them, the more his fears - or some sort of memory of his fears - lessened. He found himself laughing more often. He looked forward to work for the first time in what felt like forever because he knew that once it was done, they’d be waiting for him (he was always the last one there). 

Just like Roxas, Xion knew very little about the world and wished to know more, but she was a lot better at retaining more information than the blonde. They’d come to him with questions, and even if he felt that he’d given them an adequate answer, Xion always wanted to know more. Roxas would just call him a know-it-all if he went too in depth. 

The days he got assigned missions with one of them (and one time, both of them) were always the best. They’d have fun exploring worlds and working together. The shared toil always made the ice cream afterwards taste better. 

But then he got assigned to Xion more and more often. 

And he knew why.

He just didn’t know what to do.

She seemed so scared and lost. 

He was too.

And it happened all over again. 

First, Xion disappeared, but unlike the other girl, he was able to find her. Again and again. Everytime she ran, he found her out. 

But then Roxas began questioning the Organization too, and pretty soon he had left and everything was so wrong and why did it hurt so much.

They were just kids for Kingdom Hearts’ sake.

Himself included. 

Suddenly, she was gone. For good. Not just physically, but for real.

He focused on getting Roxas back, making mistake after horrible mistake to make things “right”, all memory of Xion vanishing. 

As he chased Sora down in an attempt to see Roxas again, he realized what Saix had been going through trying to save the girl, but in that same instant he remembered how wrong Saix was. And as he disappeared for what he thought would be forever, he saw forgiveness in Sora’s eyes.

Lea was given a second chance and he was determined not to mess up this time. He befriended Kairi, who was very forgiving despite his previous actions. But he couldn’t stop apologizing. Something about her seemed so familiar and he figured it was just the girl he and Isa used to know. However, as they spent more time together, he was plagued by hazy flashbacks of a girl that looked very different from their old friend. He found himself growing more and more protective of Kairi as he pondered why he felt like he had to apologize every time he saw her. 

He eventually met Ventus again, who - to Lea’s complete and utter surprise - remembered him. It made him happy, but there was that guilt again, like he had broken an important promise.

It wasn’t until he came face to face with a hooded figure in the Keyblade Graveyard that he put the pieces together. Sure, all of their adversaries were in hoods of some kind, but this one was different. Slim and small, she -it was almost definitely a she - wielded the Kingdom Key, just like Sora. Her movements were practiced and swift and so familiar. And when she intercepted what would’ve been a fatal blow aimed at him, it all came crashing down.

And so did Roxas. 

But in that same instance, Saix was gone. He’d be back, but it didn’t stop Lea from crying. Although maybe the tears were more because of the relief that came from realizing his childhood best friend was still in there and that they’d be together again soon. 

Sora ran off in search of the others and Kairi -oh shoot Kairi - and he found himself face to face with his kiddos again. 

For the first time in all of his lives, Lea was speechless.

Xion broke the silence with her sobs and Roxas rushed to her and Lea to them and they just stayed there because yes her name was Xion and yes she was there and so was Roxas and yes he remembered.

They cried together - really cried - and Lea wrapped his arms around both of them like a shield, enclosing them in this precious moment.

“I’m so sorry, Xion. Roxas”

Xion looked up, and Roxas followed. Both of their noses were red and their eyes were brimming with tears, looking just like Lea felt: sad and happy, but most relieved. 

“I messed up so bad, buddy,” he whispered, looking at Roxas. Then turning to Xion, his voice broke, “And I - I forgot you, kiddo… I -”

They cut him off, hugging him tighter.

“I should be the one apologizing,” Xion’s soft voice was heavy with tears. She pulled back again and faced them. “I left you guys. And Roxas, I made you -”

Roxas shook his head, “No, it’s my fault. If I had been stronger or if -”

“Would you two quit it!” Lea bonked them both on their heads, slightly annoyed. “I’m the adult here. Let me take the blame!”

Roxas and Xion looked at him, then at each other, hands on their heads where Lea had hit them. And warm, familiar, genuine laughter filled the air. 

Lea didn’t know how the day would end. He didn’t know if they would succeed in defeating Xehanort, but being with Roxas and Xion again, he couldn’t help but look forward to the victory ice cream they would share if everything went well. 

All at once, Lea realized that he wasn’t afraid of being forgotten anymore. Xion had been there, done that, and she was standing next to him because he and Roxas managed to hold on to her. And he knew that they’d do the same for him. No matter what.

They were inseparable afterall. Nothing would ever change that.


End file.
